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The purpose of this study is to examine institutional quality’s absorptive capacity in African countries’ remittances-finance nexus.

A balanced panel data set of thirty African countries between 2000 and 2022 is used for the study. The study adopts an augmented mean group (AMG), method of moment quantile regression (MMQR) and two-step system generalized method of moment (2SGMM) as the estimation techniques due to the nature of the data set.

The findings of the direct effect reveal that remittances do not constitute the growth of financial development, while institutional quality promotes the growth of financial development in the long. The moderating effect of institutional quality in the linkages shows that the interactive term of institutional quality and remittances has a significant positive effect on financial development in the region. Hence, institutional quality moderates the impact of remittances. These results are robust to different proxies of financial development and estimates obtained from MMQR and 2SGMM.

This study, therefore, suggests that institutional quality is essential in the linkages between remittances and financial development. Hence, remittances should be seen as one of the instruments that can be used to develop the financial sector rather than survival mechanisms for households.

This study contributes to the literature by unearthing the absorptive capacity of institutional quality in the nexus between remittances and financial development in African countries, which extant studies have neglected.

The construction business is widely recognised for its inherent complexity and dynamic nature, which stems from the nature of the job involved. The industry is often regarded as one of the most challenging industries globally in terms of implementing environmental, health and safety (EHS) practices. However, in the absence of EHS, the construction industry cannot be considered sustainable. Therefore, this study aims to identify the trends, knowledge gaps and implications of EHS research to enhance construction activities and knowledge.

The study adopted a science mapping approach involving bibliometric and scientometric analysis of 407 construction EHS publications from the Scopus database with the VOSviewer software. The study is based on journal articles from the Scopus database without restriction to any time range.

The main focus of construction EHS research identified in the study includes sustainability-related studies, risk-related, environmental issues, EHS management, integrated management systems studies, health and safety related and EHS in the construction process. Some emerging areas also identified include productivity, design, culture, social sustainability and machine learning. The most influential and productive publication sources, countries/regions and EHS publications with the highest impact were also determined.

Documents published in the Scopus database were considered for analysis because of the wider coverage of the database. Journal articles written in English language represent the inclusion criteria, whereas other documents were excluded from the analysis. The study also limited the search to articles with the engineering subject area.

The research findings will enlighten stakeholders and practitioners on the focal knowledge areas in the EHS research domain, which are vital for enhancing EHS in the industry.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this review-based study is the first attempt to internationally conduct a science mapping on extant literature in the EHS research domain through bibliometric and scientometric assessments.

This study aims to determine the role of gold as a safe haven, hedge and asset diversification for Shariah stock in conditions of extreme stock market declines.

Quantitative approach is used by applying the threshold generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (TGARCH) model to capture bad or good news in the market condition and quantile regression method to obtain the extreme values of stock returns in several market conditions. The data used were the daily closing price of gold and the Jakarta Islamic Index from January 2011 to October 2022.

The average conditions show gold does not have a hedge property and only acts as an asset diversification. Second, gold has a substantial, safe haven property in every economic condition. However, the safe-haven property of gold seemed to weaken during the most extreme stock market decline. Thus, although gold appears as a safe haven and asset diversification, it remains a risky investment and only provides a minor role in the face of the extreme stock market period.

This research provides a discourse and literature for Islamic investors and investor managers to choose the right investment instrument in various economic conditions where gold has a function as diversification and safe haven in their asset portfolio under any other asset portfolio conditions which is also in line with modern portfolio theory. For policymakers, the study can be used as material for consideration in making policies related to the accessibility of gold as an investment instrument.

This study presents the originality by using the price of Antam gold as a proxy for gold investment during the latest research year data and focusing on case studies in Islamic capital market in Indonesia. Moreover, this research provides quantile regression that sharply discussion in various economics condition.

Predicting dimensional and geometrical errors in 3D printing parts during the design stage can significantly enhance the product’s quality. This study aims to predict the form deviation and process capability in additive manufacturing (AM) specimens considering layer thickness, laser power and scan speed parameters in the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) method. Various machine learning (ML) techniques are implemented to estimate the form deviation and process capability with the highest accuracy in 3D-printed cylindrical parts as a case study.

The workflow started by simulating the LPBF AM process using a finite element modeling approach. Then, different ML algorithms like artificial neural networks are used to predict the form deviation. The process capability value is forecasted using some classification ML models and process capability indices (PCIs) for cylindrical parts. Finally, concentricity tolerance classification is performed for cylindrical parts, which can ensure quality control issues in the production stage.

Results present an accuracy of about 93% for predicting form deviations and 95% accuracy for predicting PCI C_pm in PCI classification based on random forest model as an ML algorithm.

The noteworthy point of the research is accessing the form deviation due to AM and process capability evaluation in the AM process before the production stage, which has not been studied before based on the author’s knowledge. So that the product quality is evaluated based on the shape deviation and its tolerances in the AM process digital chain.

This study aims to employ an integrated approach of geology, aeromagnetic and electrical resistivity techniques to evaluate the potential causes of abortive or low groundwater yield in most boreholes.

The process involved mapping geology and acquiring and processing aeromagnetic and vertical electrical sounding (VES) data. Oasis Montaj software was used for tasks like Reduction to the Equator (RTE), Upward Continuation (UC), Residual Magnetic Anomaly (RMA) and Euler Deconvolution (S. I = 1.0 and S. I = 2.0). VES utilized the Schlumberger array method, and field data underwent iterative analysis using Resist2Win software.

Total magnetic intensity (TMI) and RMA values range from −209.2 nT/m to 150.4 nT/m and −61.0 nT/m and 20.6 nT/m, respectively. High amplitude magnetic anomalies are observed in the northern and southwestern areas, indicating potential groundwater zones. Depth estimates for SI = 1.0 and 2.0 range from 11.1 m to 76.1 m and 16.4 m to 112.9 m, respectively, indicating varying overburden thickness and rock boundaries. Lineament reveals NE-SW and NW-SE trends, with hydro-lineament density ranging from low to very high. VES data identifies layers with resistivity and thickness values: topsoil (15.5–523.2 Om, 0.4–12.3 m), weathered basement (93.3–1655.7 Om, 19.0–54.7 m), fractured basement aquifer (242.7–9413.0 Om, 20.3–42.7 m) and fresh basement (62.8–935.3 Om).

Maps and conclusion generated from the study will serve as a baseline to solving completely the perennial problem of abortive and low groundwater yield.

Insecurity and other vices suffered during the acquisition of data.

The geophysical data correlates with geological mapping, verifying that areas with dense hydro-lineaments like porphyritic granites and granite gneiss are promising aquifers. This suggests that groundwater presence is influenced by structural factors, offering valuable insights for future groundwater exploration in the study area.

The purpose of this study is to propose and develop a zakat model for digital assets from the Sharīʿah perspective.

This research adopts a qualitative research method while studying the literature thoroughly, and it analyzes the data through an exploratory research approach to propose a zakat model for the digital assets.

This research aims to develop a zakat model for digital assets within the framework of Sharīʿah. Using a qualitative research method, the study thoroughly examines existing literature and uses an exploratory research approach to propose this zakat model. The findings suggest that digital assets hold the potential to be considered for zakat in the contemporary digital age. Previous studies indicate that both commodity-based and currency-based digital assets meet the criteria for zakat imposition. Given zakat’s significant impact on socioeconomic development, it is imperative to carefully manage these assets to maximize their potential benefits. However, variations in interpretations by different jurisdictions and Sharīʿah scholars regarding the understanding and classification of digital assets lead to ongoing scrutiny from legal and religious perspectives. This research aims to contribute to the discourse by proposing a zakat model for digital assets and identifying potential assets eligible for zakat.

This research seems to be the pioneer in providing a zakat model for digital assets, combining different segments of digital assets.

The study addresses the challenges of limited access to technology and gender inequality in Ghana's education system, particularly science, technology, engineering, and mathematics/information and communications technologies (STEM/ICT) education. It focuses on the culturo-techno-contextual approach (CTCA), which has been shown to improve student outcomes and reduce educational gender inequality in Africa. Thus, this study addressed two research objectives: whether the CTCA will improve basic school students’ understanding of ICT and reduce the gender gap without ICT facilities.

The study was conducted using a quantitative method and a quasi-experimental design. 120 participants (44 in the experimental group and 76 in the control group) were selected using purposive and random sampling techniques. Data were collected using the Windows Interface Achievement Test (WIAT) and analysed using ANCOVA analysis.

The study found that the CTCA improved students’ understanding of ICT without ICT resources. The study also found that using the CTCA, there were no differences between male and female students in their understanding of ICT without ICT resources.

Based on the study’s findings, the researchers recommend the use of the CTCA in teaching basic school ICT, particularly in rural areas where access to ICT resources is problematic.

Researchers typically experiment with alternate teaching strategies to overcome obstacles in learning issues. This study’s originality stems from applying an indigenous teaching method (CTCA) to break down learning difficulties in ICT education.

The development of high-strength engineered cementitious composite (ECC) gains a significant leap in structural engineering. Engineers have been looking for new formulations that combine outstanding compressive strength with increased flexural resistance. This research focuses on the main characteristics, techniques and prospective applications of high-strength ECC. The proposed work explores the composition of such concrete, emphasizing the use of novel additives, fiber reinforcements and optimal particle packing to produce excellent mechanical characteristics and demonstrating how high-strength ECC contributes to incorporate sustainability by potentially lowering the need for supplemental reinforcing and resulting in a lower environmental effect.

This research involves on studying the composition of high-strength ECC and geopolymer-based ECC, the use of novel additives, fiber reinforcements and optimal particle packing. It examines the capacity of high-strength ECC to sustain high loads with an allowable deformation without any catastrophic collapse. It discusses the sustainability aspects of high-strength ECC and its potential alternative as geopolymer-based ECC.

High-strength ECC offers an excellent compressive strength while also providing increased flexural capacity. Employment of copper slag (CS) as a filler material for the production of ECC results in 28.92% lower cost, when compared to the mix developed using conventional river sand. Whereas in the case of geopolymer-based ECC, the cost of production was found to be 31.92% lower than that of the conventional.

High-strength ECC is developed using conventional river sand and industrial by-product, CS as a filler material. The combination of achieving higher compressive strength with an increased use of industrial by-products leads to the development of sustainable high strength ECC. The potential use of high-strength ECC reduces the need for supplementary reinforcing and increases the structural lifetime, resulting in a lower environmental impact.

This study aims to examine the determinants of cash waqf contributions among Malaysian millennials through digital platforms.

The present study employed the Technology Acceptance Model with 328 respondents from Malaysia. A self-administrative questionnaire was developed and distributed using both online and physical survey methods. Partial least squares analysis was performed on the data using the Smart PLS 4.0 modeling package.

The results show that attitude, digital literacy, ease of use and waqf knowledge influenced Malaysian millennials to make cash contributions through digital platforms. However, trust in waqf institutions and waqf usefulness factors did not significantly affect Malaysian millennials’ decision to contribute cash waqf.

The research findings have significant theoretical and practical ramifications for applying the Technology Acceptance Model and attracting millennials to contribute cash waqf.

The study adds new value to the literature. The focus of this study, which targets units of analysis among millennials, has received very little attention in the literature related to cash waqf in digital platforms.